Clive Davis (1932-2026), one of the most influential music executives in the USA, has died. The founder of the record labels Arista Records and J Records passed away on Monday at the age of 94 at his home in New York. This was reported by "Rolling Stone" magazine. His death was confirmed by his longtime spokesperson Aliza Rabinoff. Davis passed away "peacefully from an age-related illness surrounded by his family and loved ones".
In recent years, he had struggled with several health problems. At the end of May, he was hospitalized in New York after a respiratory illness, but was able to leave a few days later. In 2021, he was diagnosed with facial paralysis.
Seven Decades in the Music Business
Davis' career spanned approximately seven decades and multiple musical genres. In 1967, at the age of 35, he became president of Columbia Records. In each subsequent decade, he landed hits with artists such as Janis Joplin, Barry Manilow, Whitney Houston, The Notorious B.I.G., Alicia Keys, and Kelly Clarkson.
The stars whose careers he shaped also included Bruce Springsteen, Aretha Franklin, Carlos Santana, and Carrie Underwood. According to "Rolling Stone", Franklin called him "the greatest record man of all time". In 2008, Springsteen's manager Jon Landau told "Rolling Stone" that Davis had been a label chief since the 1960s and was still at the top decades later - something that would never be seen again.
From Lawyer to Record Executive
Davis was born on April 4, 1932, in Brooklyn, where he grew up in a Jewish family in the Crown Heights neighborhood. By the age of 18, he had already lost both parents, who died within eleven months of each other. He financed his studies at New York University and Harvard Law School through scholarships.
After completing his law degree, Davis initially worked as a lawyer before moving to CBS, where he became chief counsel of the music division. In 1967, he rose to president of Columbia Records. A pivotal experience that same year was the Monterey Pop Festival: there he signed Janis Joplin. In the following years, he built Columbia into one of the most successful rock labels in the world, signing artists including Santana, Springsteen, Billy Joel, Pink Floyd, and Earth, Wind and Fire.
The Rise of Whitney Houston
In 1974, he founded Arista Records. There he signed acts such as the Grateful Dead, Lou Reed, Patti Smith, and Annie Lennox; the success of Barry Manilow later paved the way to Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, and eventually Whitney Houston.
Davis became more closely associated with no other artist than Houston. He first saw her perform in 1983. Under his guidance, she became one of the most successful singers in music history. After the BMG corporation pushed him out of Arista in 2000, Davis founded the label J Records. In 2002, BMG bought his shares for an estimated 20 million dollars; he subsequently became president and CEO of the RCA Music Group. In the 2000s, he celebrated successes with Alicia Keys and Usher, helped Rod Stewart make a comeback, and released albums by winners such as Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson through a partnership with "American Idol".
In 2013, Davis published his memoir "The Soundtrack of My Life", in which he publicly identified as bisexual at the age of 80. He had four children from two marriages. Music remained the center of his life until the very end; he also continued to host his famous annual pre-Grammy party until his death.
